Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) from Canary Islands Dr

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New Bembix species (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) from Canary Islands Dr. Christian Schmid-Egger Fischerstraße 1 | 10317 Berlin | Germany | [email protected] | www.bembix.de Zusammenfassung Christian Schmid-Egger: Neue Bembix-Arten (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) auf den Kanarischen Inseln. Bembix oculata und Bembix olivacea werden zum ersten Mal für die Fauna der Kanarischen Inseln gemeldet. Summary Bembix oculata and Bembix olivacea are reported from the Canary Island for the first time..

Introduction publications. It is very unlike, that both new Bembix species were overlooked by former collectors. Also My friend Wolfgang Schlaefle sent some Crabronidae Maspalomas is very good examined, because it is close wasp from Maspalomas in southern Gran Canaria for to the touristic centre of Gran Canaria, and many Euro- identification, among them a few Bembix specimens. pean entomologists spent a holiday there and collec- The only previously known Bembix species from the ted wasps. Canary Islands is Bembix flavescens Smith, 1856, in the So, it is very likely, that both species are introduced by endemic and nominate subspecies flavescens. It is very man in the last years from southern Europe or Morocco, common in the dunes of Maspalomas, and I could coll- or that they reached Gran Canaria by own means from ect it for myself in 2002 in large numbers in the same Morocco. This conclusion is supported by the recent collecting place as Wolfgang did. Also, I could see the finding of the “beewolf” Philanthus triangulum Fabrici- species in at least a dozen samples from various col- us, 1775 in Teneriffa (Smit & de Boer 2008). This species leagues from the Canary Islands. is also a large, yellow colored Crabronidae wasp species To my complete surprise, the specimens of Wolfgang and nests in the ground. It is a predator of honeybees does not belong to flavescens, but to two different spe- (Apis mellifera), whereas Bembix hunts various fly species: Bembix oculata Panzer, 1801 and Bembix olivacea cies (Diptera). It is also very unlike, that Philanthus was Fabricius, 1787: Both species are widely distributed in overlooked before. Smit (2003) also reports other new the mediterranean area and were never collected be- Aculeata species for the Canary Islands, probably also fore in the Canary islands. They nests in the ground, introduced by man. mostly in sandy habitats. The present finding of new Bembix species raises the All in all, I could examine 4 females and a male of Bem following questions: bix oculata and a male and a female of Bembix oliva • Can the records of both new Bembix species be cea. They were colleted in Gran Canaria, Maspalomas, confirmed? near the lighthouse in the western part of the dunes • Can both species also be found in other places in the of Maspalomas (27.740 W / 15.596 E), end of July 2010. Canary Islands? Wolfgang Schlaefle found them on flowering Tamarix • How did both species reach the Canary Islands? shrubs. There were no Bembix flavescens specimens in • Are there other newly introduced Aculeata species the sample. on the Canary Islands?

Discussion Any new information about this topic is welcome, because it also concerns the question whether the cli- The Aculeata fauna of the Canary Islands is well known mate changes in Europe and the Mediterranean area by the detailed examination of Hohman et al. (1993). supports the migration of insect species. Smith 2003 and Smith & de Boer (2008) reports additio- nal species, Schmid-Egger (2002) revised the genus Mi scophus from Canary Islands with description of a new species from Maspalomas. The only reported Bembix species until 2010 was Bembix flavescens, and no other Bembix records were mentioned from the Canary Islands also from other

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Key for hitherto known Bembix Literature species from Canary Islands Hohmann, H., F. La Roche, G. Ortega & J. Barquín (1993). Males Bienen, Wespen und Ameisen der Kanarischen Inseln – Abejas, avispas y hormigas de las Islas Canarias – 1. Sternite II flat, without tubercle. Body color pale olive- Bees, wasps and ants of the Canary Islands (Insecta: yellow, black marks on tergites reduced olivacea Hymenoptera: Aculeata). Veröffentlichungen aus dem - Sternite II with large, dentiform tubercle. Body color Übersee-Museum Bremen. Naturwissenschaften 12: dark yellow, black color of tergites different 2 1--465. XII pls., vol. 2:493–894. Schmid-Egger, C. (2002): The species of Miscophus Ju- 2. Sternite VI laterally without tooth. Last Flagellomere rine 1807 from the Canary Islands with description of large, with rounded outside, nearly as wide as long. a new species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Crabronidae). Tergites all yellow, except few spots on tergum I Linzer Biologische Beiträge 34:1627–1638. flavescens Smit, J. (2007): New wasps and bees for the fauna of the - Sternite VI laterally with small, pointed tooth. Last Canary Islands (Hymenoptera, Aculeata). Linzer Biolo Flagellomere narrow, 2x as long as distal wide. Tergi- gische Beiträge 39: 651–656. h tes with black marks oculata Smit, J. & R. De Boer (2008). Philanthus triangulum (Hy- menoptera; Crabronidae) new for the fauna of the Ca- Females nary Islands. Linzer Biologische Beiträge 40:897–900. 1. Scape all black. Tergum II with two isolated black spots within the yellow tergal band. Body color lemmon yellow ...... oculata - Scape at least beneath with yellow band. If ter‑ gum II with isolated spots, then body color pale olive yellow ...... 2 2. Thorax except pronotal lobe and small mesonotal band near tegulae black. Black spots on tergum II connected with basal black band. Body color dark lemmon yellow flavescens - Thorax markedly yellow colored, including mesono- tum. Black spots on tergum II isolated within pale tergal band. Light body color olive-yellow olivacea

Remark: The male of Bembix oculata from Maspalomas has a narrow yellow band on underside of the scape, what is unusual in the species. The female of olivacea has a small W-like black spot in clypeus basomedially, whereas the clypeus is all pale in specimens from the mediterranean area.